Tag Archives: Gov. Ron DeSantis

President Biden declared Florida a major disaster area Thursday morning, ordering federal aid to supplement local recovery efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida as a Category 4 storm Wednesday afternoon. The declaration will allow federal aid to go to Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, …

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams More than 40 House Democrats on Friday urged the Biden Justice Department to open an investigation into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ inhumane scheme that transported dozens of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, alleging the Republican leader and other officials involved may have violated federal law. “Harrowing interviews …

Stephen Neukam, The Texas Tribune Three Venezuelan migrants flown from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard last week filed a federal class action lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Florida officials Tuesday after the firebrand Republican’s move to transport migrants to a Democrat-controlled state sparked national controversy and a …

Issac Morgan, Florida Phoenix Florida Democrats in the state House on Monday questioned the legality of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ recent move that transported about 50 asylum seekers from Florida to Martha’s Vineyard and urged GOP leaders to stop using “inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars” for the operation that has sparked …

Stephen Neukam, The Texas Tribune Gov. Greg Abbott’s state-funded program to bus migrants to cities run by Democrats reached a national fever pitch on Thursday, with buses dropping people off outside of Vice President Kamala Harris’ D.C. residence. What started in the spring as a publicity stunt to draw the …

Issac Morgan, Florida Phoenix After Congress and President Joe Biden approved a massive spending bill to allow Medicare to negotiate cheaper drug prices with pharmaceutical companies starting in 2026, Florida has filed a lawsuit against the federal government over delays in the state’s own plan to import cheaper medicine from …

Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Stop WOKE Act suffered a two-punch blow Thursday as a federal judge blocked parts of the controversial law and a coalition of civil liberties groups filed a lawsuit against what they are calling “racially motivated censorship.” U.S. District Judge …

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Republican leaders in nearly two dozen U.S. states are attempting—potentially in violation of federal law—to use coronavirus relief funds approved by Congress last year to finance tax cuts instead of devoting the money to combating the ongoing pandemic and its economic consequences. The Washington Post reported …

by Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix May 27, 2022 A Florida appellate court ruled Friday that a trial judge abused his authority in ordering state government to retain a Black-access congressional district in North Florida before holding a full trial on whether the state’s Fair District amendment required doing so. The …

A U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on Monday ruled that a 2021 Florida law targeting social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter unconstitutionally restricts the companies’ First Amendment rights. Monday’s decision by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld most of a preliminary injunction imposed …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill into law that bans Floridians from protesting outside of private residences. “Sending unruly mobs to private residences, like we have seen with the angry crowds in front of the homes of Supreme Court justices, is inappropriate,” Governor DeSantis said just before …

by Michael Moline, Florida Phoenix May 13, 2022 A state trial judge has rejected Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ demand to dismantle Congressional District 5, a sprawling, Black-access congressional district in North Florida, citing language in the state Constitution forbidding diminishment of minority voting strength. Instead, Circuit Judge Layne Smith, sitting in …

A Florida judge on Wednesday ruled that a congressional map approved by Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and drawn by his staff is unconstitutional because it breaks up a district where Black voters can choose their representatives. “I am finding that the enacted map is unconstitutional under the Fair District Amendment …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Monday establishing a new, first-of-its-kind election police task force to investigate voter fraud allegations as well as other election violations or irregularities. The bill, Senate Bill 524, creates the Office of Election Crimes and Security under the direction of the Department of State. …

by Diane Rado, Florida Phoenix April 22, 2022 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 7 into law on Friday, an “Intellectual Freedom” measure also referred to as the “Stop WOKE” act. Among critics, it caused immediate condemnation across Florida and states elsewhere. “We believe in education, not indoctrination,” said DeSantis, …